I think they're curious. But even so, when knowing roads could possibly be out and emergency crews need to get in, they should keep their distance. I do know what you mean. I live in one of the areas that was hit pretty hard with the Iowa flooding last summer. It was like a damned tourist attraction.

This is quite difficult to answer. I think you need to know why they're there. For me, I'd love the opportunity of witnessing the full power of nature such as a volcano or hurricane, but I don't understand the people who turn up to see the human devastation.
I'll never understand why Ground Zero became a tourist attraction. You can even buy souvenirs and postcards in NY. That just doesn't ring right with me.

I find this behavior disturbing. I could not do that sort of thing I be out trying to see where I could be of help. I will never understand some people who can watch and do nothing like they are being entertained by the destruction of others.

here is what i think. it depends on the time that has passed for the event. and, it depends on their motive. if they are driving around, hoping to help, then i find nothing wrong with that. if they are driving around, snooping, trying to find free stuff, than i find that extremely offensive and rude to the people that live there. i believe that there is an appropriate time span for when something like that happens. there needs to be some space given directly after, and depending on the aftermath can other people come in and help. i think it should be narrowed down to time following, and intent.

it is no different from the millions of people who watch these things on the news every day.
But.. if they are willing tomake the effort to go and see the place, the least they could do is assist with the clear up.
There but for the grace of god go I!

I think that they are trying to understand the power of the occurance and significance of it to the residents, and those further out. If you aren't in the path of a tornado, it is hard to comprehend the power and destructiion. But we want to understand. Looking is part of how we go about gaining this understanding.

There was a tornado near where my parents live, a few years back. I don't think anyone was killed, off the top of my head, but it caused a lot-- a lot a lot -- of damage. Ripped half the top off an old cathedral, went down sorority row...
I thought it was dumb, but when I had a friend from London come home with me once, my father wanted to drive through there with him. I think... we weren't looking at "the destruction in other people's lives." We were looking at what nature could do. They don't have tornadoes in England. It was after things had been boarded up, there weren't people out there trying to assess damage.
Looters are fuckheads, obviously, no-one's defending them. Same for people like you described who are laughing at it.
But I think a lot of people who come to see are just trying to understand. You learn tornadoes are bad, but a lot of people never see the destruction first hand. You learn, don't play with matches, you'll destroy the house, but how many kids play with them anyway? You think they'd play with them if their parents took them to see a burned-out husk of a building? The same level of "Look now upon the consequences" doesn't apply to natural disasters, exactly, but I'm sure it inspires a lot of people to understand tornado safety, to learn about earthquake-resistant buildings, to evacuate when they're told.

I remember after September 11, 2001 when people from all over arrived in New York in droves to see where the World Trade Centers were and the remains and all of that. It seemed tacky at times...but after thinking about it I understood their curiosity. After all, it didn't just happen to New York, it happened to our country and was the worst disaster to happen to us since Pearl Harbor I guess. So when i think about it in just this case, not in all cases of destruction I understand the curiosity. So many people came out to help NY & others who were affected by this...it actually brought out the good in people. I still fantisize about the day when we catch Osama bin Laden. New York is just not the same to me anymore. I feel nostalgic for all of the people we lost and the World Trade Centers themselves and the lives we led before this happened. Sorry to get so long-winded.

maybe theyre trying to see whats going on so they can help out, or it could be people from the newspaper place, we havent had disasters where im at but i have been in several earthquakes in different places including the place i live at now

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